Piano-hammer.



H. W. HICKS.

PIANO HAMMER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.26. 1914.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Inventor Witnesses Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COHWASHINGTDN, D c.

HARRISON W. HICKS, 0F HUNTINGTON, INDIANA.

PIANO-HAMMER.

Application filed December 26, 1914.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HARRISON W. HICKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington, in the county of Huntington and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Piano-Hammer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to piano hammers, the principal object being to provide a hammer having an adjustable felt held in place without the use of an adhesive or the like, it being possible readily to shift the felt after it has become packed or worn to an undesirable extent so as thus to present a new face to the strings of the instrument.

A further object is to provide a simple form of felt holding means designed to be used in connection with the ordinary wooden hammer and which is free of springs, nuts and other metal parts likely to rattle or work loose.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings z-F igure 1 is a side elevation of a hammer having the present improvements combined therewith. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the hammer head, the felt being removed.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the usual hammer stem engaging the hammer head 2 which, in the present instance, is enlarged at its active end, as shown at 3, said end being formed with a segmental recess 4 in which is seated a strip 5 of packing preferably formed of felt. Bearing against this packing is an arcuate gripping strip 6 formed of spring material, the middle portion of this strip receiving a screw 7 or other suitable fastening means which extends through the packing 5 and into the head as shown. Engaged by the gripping strip 6 is a substantially circular felt 8 which fits snugly Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915. Serial No. 879,121.

against the strip 6 and, when engaged thereby, is held fixedly against movement relative thereto. This is due to the fact that the terminals of the strip 6 bite into the felt at opposed points and thus hold it against dislodgment under normal conditions. Should the active face of the felt become worn or packed to an undesirable extent, the said felt can be adjusted to a new position simply by forcibly withdrawing it from engagement with the strip 6 and then reinserting it with another portion of the periphery of the felt exposed in active position.

By mounting an arcuate strip 6 within a segmental recess, a single screw or the like can be used for fastening it in place, the curvature of the wall of the recess serving to prevent the strip 6 from rotating within the recess as long as said strip is clamped against the head. Thus it becomes unnecessary to utilize nuts or similar fastening means which are likely to work loose. Furthermore it becomes unnecessary to use more than one fastening device.

Vhat is claimed iszl. The combination with the head of a piano hammer having a segmental recess in the active end thereof, of an arcuate spring strip secured to the wall of the recess and having its terminals projecting beyond the recessed end of the head, and a felt gripped by the terminal portions of said strip.

2. The combination with the head of a piano hammer, said head having a segmental recess in its active end, of a packing fitted against the wall of the recess, an arcuate spring strip seated against the packing, securing means extending through the center of the strip and the packing and into the head for securing the strip, packing and the head together, and a felt extending between and gripped by the terminals of said strip, said felt being shiftable about its cen ter to bring different portions of its periphery to active position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRISON W. HICKS.

lVitnesses MILO FEIGHTNER, MARo FARLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

